As part of Team Canada’s trade mission to India from October 12 to 17, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) and the Adani Group today announced the renewal of their collaboration agreement. The initiative aims to strengthen trade relations between the two countries and create new opportunities for Quebec and Canadian businesses.
The agreement was signed this morning in Mumbai by Captain Sandeep Mehta, representing the Adani Group, and Marie-Claude Galarneau, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating and Transformation Officer of the MPA, in the presence of The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade of Canada. It builds on the collaborative efforts between the two port authorities that began in 2018 with the signing of their first collaboration agreement.
• Developing trade between Canada and India, particularly through the Mundra—Montreal maritime corridor.
• Joint promotion and information sharing to identify new business opportunities.
• Sharing port and technological expertise to improve operations and the fluidity of road and rail transportation.
Exploring new areas of collaboration, including vehicle transportation and exchanges between the two organizations’ teams.
Against the backdrop of a changing global trade environment, the MPA is strengthening its presence in a strategic market to support trade diversification, develop lasting relationships with industry stakeholders and contribute to the resilience of supply chains between the two countries.
Strengthening our presence in a key market
Through its participation in Team Canada’s trade mission and the appointment of Prakash Tulsiani as its new agent in India, the Port of Montreal is demonstrating its commitment to maintaining strong ties with this high-potential market.
According to widely shared projections from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2027–2028, underscoring the strength and consistency of its growth trajectory.
The MPA’s local representation will facilitate engagement with shipping lines, freight forwarders, as well as importing and exporting companies, while helping to raise awareness of the services and business development opportunities available between the two countries.
Trade with India has become an increasingly important part of the Port of Montreal’s activities in recent years. After becoming one of the Port’s leading trading partners, India ranked second among the Port’s markets in 2025, with a balanced flow of imports and exports. In total, 1 million tonnes of goods were exchanged between the two countries, including 60% exports and 40% imports.
The main commodities traded include food products, ceramic products and plastics on the import side, as well as forestry and metal products on the export side.
Quotes
“India is a major trading partner for the Port of Montreal. Renewing our agreement with Adani Ports, together with our new local representation, gives us the means to deepen this relationship and better support businesses as they develop new markets. Our ambition is to facilitate trade, create new business opportunities and strengthen Montreal’s role as a strategic gateway between India and the economic heart of North America,” sais Paul Bird, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MPA.
“As trade between India and Canada continues to grow, the renewal of this MoU between Adani Ports and the Port of Montreal reaffirms our commitment to strengthening maritime and commercial ties between our two nations. Through our shared membership in the International Association of Ports and Harbors, we are well positioned to open new opportunities for businesses on both sides. We look forward to working closely with our Canadian counterparts at the Port of Montreal to advance this partnership further,” said Capt. Sandeep Mehta, Adani Group.
“With India now the Port of Montreal's second-largest market, and 1 million tonnes of goods moving between our countries through the Port last year, the opportunity for Canadian businesses is clear. Partnerships like this help more Canadian exporters reach one of the world's fastest-growing economies and build more resilient supply chains. As we move at speed to conclude a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with India, we will build on this momentum and create even more opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses,” said the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade of Canada.
